Blink-182's Travis Barker Picks A Winner

07/26/2011.

(Submitted) Blink-182's Travis Barker announced Twin Berlin as the winner of Guitar Center's Your Next Record unsigned artist competition.

After an intense 8-week period of peer judging through OurStage.com, Barker personally selected the winning band from the top 100 artists entered, sending one talented unsigned band into Red Bull Studios in Los Angeles with the acclaimed drummer and producer.

As winner, Twin Berlin will have the opportunity to record a 3-song EP with Barker, have Barker appear on their single from the EP, receive worldwide digital distribution of the album through TuneCore as well as $10,000 in new gear from Guitar Center.

"This was definitely not an easy decision, a lot of these artists really stepped up," says Barker. "I can't wait to get into the studio with Twin Berlin. Their mix of gritty guitars and undeniable hooks really drew me in. I think we'll be able to create some incredible music together. It's really cool that Guitar Center has given an unsigned band such a unique opportunity."

A Connecticut-based trio with a growing following in the Boston-area, Twin Berlin (http://www.ourstage.com/profile/twinberlin) draw from a recent rock lineage that includes The Strokes, The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys. The band's high-energy sound has already garnered heavy radio airplay on FNX Radio Boston and a MTV VMA "Best Breakout Boston" award nomination. Another huge career boost will come from the break Guitar Center has provided through the Your Next Record competition, and the chance to work with a respected artist like Travis Barker.

"This is an unbelievable opportunity for us," says Twin Berlin's James Janocha. "We were literally jumping around the room when we got the call. We're in debt to Guitar Center now, it's just amazing to see a company take this kind of interest in helping unsigned bands. We never expected anyone to fork over this kind of opportunity. And Travis is someone we've wanted to work with really bad. He's got a punk touch, but he's also up on all kinds of music and what's cutting edge, so we feel like he'll bring a fresh touch to what we're doing."